A photoelectric conversion element, which converts light into electricity, may be provided with a protective film on the surface of the substrate to suppress the recombination carriers, generated in the photoelectric conversion layer, at the surface of the substrate. Such a protective film is generally formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in view of damage to the surface of the substrate (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-249813).